Man spared prison time in identity theft scam foiled by savvy Twin Cities bank staff

A man was spared prison Thursday after admitting to his role in a lucrative identity theft scam that was foiled by savvy Twin Cities bank employees.

Hennepin County District Judge Dominick Mathews accepted the terms of a plea agreement and sentenced Eric Jerome Pratt, 44, of Maple Grove, to 30 days in jail and another 30 days on electronic home monitoring.

Pratt pleaded guilty to identity theft in connection with opening accounts at Topline Federal Credit Union with another person’s $124,000 U.S. Treasury check and then making withdrawals.

Mathews’ sentence also sets aside a 15-month prison term and calls for him to pay back the money.

A co-defendant, Jade Jean Birton, 32, also of Maple Grove, remains charged with identity theft and theft by swindle. She is due in court on Tuesday.

According to the criminal complaint and a related court document:

On March 18, Pratt opened an account at the Topline branch in the 4100 block of Vinewood Lane N. in Plymouth by presenting an Xfinity bill with a current address under an assumed identity, initials J.B.

Pratt took the check to Topline’s Maple Grove branch, where he deposited it in a savings account. He then moved some of the money to a checking account and made two withdrawals totaling $7,000.

On March 26, Pratt contacted the Plymouth branch and said he was bringing in M.C. to add her to the account.

Before the pair arrived, employees learned of an identity-theft alert that had been placed on a credit report for the real J.B. They agreed for Pratt and Birton to come in.

When the pair arrived, the employees “notified the police while stalling Pratt and Birton inside the bank,” one court filing read.

The two were in an employee’s office when officers arrived. Pratt identified himself as J.B. and gave police an Illinois driver’s license with his photo but J.B.’s full name.